Fastener for envelopes



(No Model.

G. H. RANDALL. FASTENBR FOR ENVELOPES.

No. 461,143. Patented Oct. 13,1891.

r m m 1 WSW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. RANDALL, OF MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

FASTEN ER FOR ENVELOPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,143, dated October 13, 1891.

Application filed November 10, 1890- Serial No. 370,855. (No model.) I

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. RANDALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Medford, in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fasteners for Envelopes, of which the following is a full specification.

My invention consists of an improved detachable fastener, which in connection with one or more folds at the mouth of the envelope serves to securely close the same.

The fastener as preferably made by me consists of a metallic clip, which slides on over the top of the folded mouth of the envelope and provided with a lip which slips under the said told when the fastener is in place, thereby preventing the said clip from slipping off in the manner it was put in place.

My object is to produce an envelope-fastening which, being detachable, can be used over and over again with various envelopes and need not be thrown away when the envelope has been used up, as is necessary with the metallic fasteners of various kinds which are permanent-1y pasted or otherwise secured to the mouths of envelopes.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is anelevation of an envelope provided with the fastener. Fig. 2 shows in section, on a larger scale, the fastener in place; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the fastener-clip detached.

O is the detachable clip, preferably made of metal in the shape shown in Fig. 3, having two legs, which, when the clip is in place on the folded mouth of the envelope, pass one on each side of the fold. This clip is furthermore provided with a lip c at the bottom thereof, bent inwardly substantially at right angles to the leg, and the envelope is folded over at the mouth in any desired manner, so as to form a shoulder b. The two-legs of the clip, which are at all times substantially parallel to each other, are somewhat resilient, and when the envelope is to be closed the clip is pressed down from above over the fold at the mouth, the lip c springingunder and engaging with the shoulder 12 in such a manner as to prevent the clip from slipping off over the top in the way it was put on. The two legs of the clip will clasp the fold sufficiently tight to prevent it from accidentally sliding sidewise. WVhen it is desired to open the en velope, the clip is pushed laterally to one end of thefold, and thus removed.

It will be seen that absolutely no pasting of the envelope is required, and that the clip is thus adapted to be used with any envelope by simply folding over the mouth thereof one or more times to form a shoulder 17, with which the lip c engages.

By having the clip detachable it will be seen that it may be used over and over again with many envelopes, which cannot be done with metallic fastenings permanently secured to the envelope.

It will be observed that my improved clip is practically in the shape of an inverted letter U, the fastening of the fold-at the mouth of the envelope being effected by the natural pressing inward of the two legs of the resilient elip,which thus embrace tightly said fold between them. The two legs in no sense buckle together or have any com in unication together at their ends.

I am aware that fastening-clasps have been made for different purposes, depending for their efficiency on the buckling or fastening together of their ends, and such I donot claim.

An enve1ope-fastener adapted to engage with the shouldered fold at the mouth of an envelope, and consisting of a stiff resilient two-legged detachable'cli p having its legs substantially parallel to each other when in place on the envelope-fold, one of said legs being provided with the lip a, bent inward practi cally at right angles thereto, the fastening of the envelope fold being effected by the inward pressure of the legs of the clip thereon, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE H. RANDALL. Witnessesi WM. B. H. DOWSE, ALBERT E. LEACH. 

